HYPERTROPHY OF THE SKIN. 



443 



disappearance of warts to the action of the so-called sympathetic reme- 

 dies or charms. Condylomata differ from common warts, as their papilla) 

 not only grow longer, but they also throw out lateral offshoots, and 

 the epidermis which covers them is not so thick and tough. There 

 are two forms of them, the pointed and the broad. The former appear 

 upon the mucous membrane of the external genitals, the urethra 

 and vagina, as well as upon parts of the skin which have been moist- 

 ened by the vaginal or urethral blenorrhceal secretion. Their appear- 

 ance is that of a mulberry or cauliflower, or, if compressed laterally, 

 they look like a cock's comb. Pointed condylomata require local 

 treatment. The structure of the wide condylomata is very like that 

 of the pointed form. They are less prominent, however, and show a 

 tendency to superficial ulceration. The most common seat of the 

 broad condylomata is upon the labia, the scrotum, and between the 

 nates. More rarely they occur upon the lips and between the toes. 

 As they are the consequence of constitutional disease, they require gen- 

 eral antisyphilitic treatment for their cure, instead of local applications. 



The so-called polypi of the skin, and the hard and sometimes 

 pedunculated tumor, known as molluscum simplex (fibroma mollus- 

 cum of Virchow), are results of a circumscribed hypertrophy of the 

 connective tissue of the skin. The so-called Jceloid is a peculiar form 

 of partial hypertrophy of the cutis, resulting in the formation of irregu- 

 lar tumors, which in structure resemble a scar. Pachydermy, or 

 elephantiasis Arabum, is due to a diffuse hypertrophy of the cutis and 

 subcutaneous connective tissue. Of this we shall speak more fully 

 hereafter. 



The hypertrophic development of the capillaries of the cutis, which 

 sometimes is combined with an hypertrophy of its connective tissue, 

 gives rise to the formation of red or reddish-brown spots, or tumors in 

 the skin, called telangiectasis. They may be congenital (ncevi vascu- 

 lares) , or they may not form until some time after birth. Telangiectasis 

 must be regarded as of two kinds a kind which, after attaining a 

 certain size, remains stationary ; and a kind which grows continually, 

 its capillaries finally becoming so much dilated as to give way and to 

 bleed profusely. 



The majority of " mothers' marks " are nearly always complicated 

 with hypertrophic development of the hairs and cutaneous glands 

 upon small portions of the skin. Curious cases are also met with in 

 which there is an extraordinary premature development of the beard, 

 and of the hair upon the pubis, and sometimes a remarkable growth 

 of hair covering the whole body, or parts of it, no other irregularity 

 coexisting. Molluscum contagiosum (epithelioma molluscum of Vir~ 

 chow) is the result of hypertrophy and dilatation of the hair-follicles, 



